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IndustryArena Forum > Hobby Projects > Hobby Discussion > Kinetic art laser "gun" with stepper motors
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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Posts
    15

    Kinetic art laser "gun" with stepper motors

    This is part of larger kinetic art display case, a new "Kineticon" which will be a coin-op entertainment machine. It's appropriate here as I want to use miniature stepper motors to control 2 axes. I hope to be able to get help from the controls part of the forum.

    Started by design in SolidWorks. See video here of basic idea and two degrees of freedom:

    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rToTqHKBxC8"]YouTube- Kinetic Art Laser Gun 1.avi[/ame]

    Original Kineticon worked for years and brought in thousands:

    http://www.bixworks.com/kinpage.htm
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Gun Assembly 2.jpg  

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Posts
    110
    Probably be better off using standard RC servos and a microcontroller.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Posts
    15
    yeah, servos are way easy. I worry about the life of servos maybe brushless ones are the way to go.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Posts
    15
    I'd like to buy lasers, but there are so many cheapo chinese ones - my first batch was all junk. Maybe one for laser sights would be good - looking at this one VLM-650-01-LPA-ND from Digi-Key. $16 each, kinda pricey, and I need three. One thing about these is they need to go for years, that includes all parts. My last kinetic machine ran for thousands of hours.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Posts
    15
    Got the lasers. Started making parts. Had to get my lathe tuned up, works well now - an old Logan 820. Got a brushless servo, I have two now but I guess I have to rob one from a helicopter.

    I realized I don't need a swash plate, just that one servo has to rotate with the mechanism. I'll use flat ribbon cables like Digi-Key WM10002-ND. Good for sub-360° rotation.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails 2-Axis gun 2.JPG  

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Posts
    15
    I'm now trying to control this with an Arduino board:
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails 102_1113.jpg  

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